Ruben Tagalog Sings Visayan Songs

Product Notes

The songs that the people of rural Philippines love to sing are the songs that speak of love. Love of country, and love for things beautiful. After a bountiful harvest or when planting rice is done, the country people form a curious semi-circle before the blazing acacia logs and with their hearts radiant with joy and romance, they chant songs of endearment to the adept accompaniment of a plaintive barrio guitar till the demijohns of basi (sugarcane wine) and tuba (coconut wine) runs dry and the cicadas no longer chirp in the night. With the view of finding out which of the romantic songs are the favorites of the Filipinos from the Visayas, we have analyzed music albums, recordings and arrangements and compiled those songs which somehow come closest to the emotions of the Filipinos. We hope that, in bringing together the group you find in this album and commissioning the foremeost Filipino balladeer, Ruben Tagalog, to handle the vocal chores, with the musical support of Leopoldo Silos and his string ensemble you will experience a nostalgic realm of traditional-laden Filipino love songs. We further hope the Visayan love songs will bring back---as they did for us and the publishers - those romantic years of our youth which live in our hearts forever.

The songs that the people of rural Philippines love to sing are the songs that speak of love. Love of country, and love for things beautiful. After a bountiful harvest or when planting rice is done, the country people form a curious semi-circle before the blazing acacia logs and with their hearts radiant with joy and romance, they chant songs of endearment to the adept accompaniment of a plaintive barrio guitar till the demijohns of basi (sugarcane wine) and tuba (coconut wine) runs dry and the cicadas no longer chirp in the night. With the view of finding out which of the romantic songs are the favorites of the Filipinos from the Visayas, we have analyzed music albums, recordings and arrangements and compiled those songs which somehow come closest to the emotions of the Filipinos. We hope that, in bringing together the group you find in this album and commissioning the foremeost Filipino balladeer, Ruben Tagalog, to handle the vocal chores, with the musical support of Leopoldo Silos and his string ensemble you will experience a nostalgic realm of traditional-laden Filipino love songs. We further hope the Visayan love songs will bring back---as they did for us and the publishers - those romantic years of our youth which live in our hearts forever.